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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Tracy Carmichael

New victim of Paisley predator believes he may have been the first

A fifth man attacked by Paisley paedophile Hugh Stevenson believes he may have been the beast’s first victim.
It has also emerged that Stevenson had links to the town’s Boys Brigade, after the man revealed his ordeal began on a BB trip.


The victim came forward to tell how he was targeted as young BB members travelled to Denmark in 1968 and thinks he may have been the beast’s first victim after falling prey to him as he served as an officer in the 2nd Paisley company.


The man, who cannot be named, says he left a police station “in tears” after reporting the serial paedophile in 1997.
He told the Express: “I’ve kept this bottled up for 54 years.”
The victim also told how Stevenson “battered” him during his reign of terror, carried out at the outfit’s former base in the town’s now demolished Thread Street church.


But he reported the physical abuse to the company’s Captain and the paedophile was later drummed out.
The latest known victim told us: “It was probably his first victim, it dates back to 1968. He was an officer in the 2nd Paisley Boys Brigade.

“Not only did Hugh Stevenson abuse me and force me to abuse him, he battered me.”
He told of his ordeal at the hands of the twisted pervert, as a 13-year-old, saying: “We went on a trip to Denmark and we lived in different houses of Boys Brigade members in Denmark.


“That was where it started, he touched me on the way over on the ferry and then it spiralled from there.”
He told how his nightmare at the hands of Stevenson, developed when they returned home to Paisley, adding: “I got dragged into the toilets at the church hall by him.”


The man, now 67, raised the alarm with senior officers at the BB, saying: “I reported it to the Captain. I reported it to him that he had hit me. I didn’t tell him the full story. Stevenson wasn’t a captain or anything but he was one of about four or five officers at the time.


“I have bottled this up for 54 years. My wife knows a wee bit of what happened but I haven’t told anyone else.
“When I told the captain, he told me he would sort it.”
He believes Stevenson parted company with the BB in 1969, adding: “I’m sure he was at a dinner we had in July 1969, it was a leaving dinner for some of the boys.”


The victim said: “The company moved to Sandyford Church in 1969 because Thread Street church closed down. It never happened once we moved to Sandyford.”
He told how he eventually told Police of his ordeal in 1997, adding: “I left the police station in tears. I made a statement to the Police in 1997 and they took it forward but the PF wouldn’t prosecute. I absolutely left that Police station in tears because the woman detective told me that it was of it just being thrown out because there wasn’t any evidence.”


And he told how the experience haunts him, saying: “If I had done something in 1968 when this happened then guys like Pete Haynes might not have had to go through what they did.
“I never went through anything like as bad as Pete.”


Police Scotland confirmed that as Strathclyde Police, they received a report in 1997 which was investigated by them, adding: “A report was submitted to the Procurator Fiscal at the time.”
DCI Steven Bertram, of Police Scotland’s National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, added: “We understand how difficult it can be to report being the victim of child abuse.


“We would like to reassure anyone who has been a victim, or knows of someone who has been a victim, that if they wish to report we will listen, all reports will be fully investigate and we will take prompt action to ensure that no-one else is at risk of harm.”


Pete Haynes was serially raped by Stevenson, who was an accredited SFA football official for time, between the ages of 12 and 16.
His ordeal only ended when he stood up to the predator as a 16-year-old and told him it would “never happen again”.


Stevenson, who died in 2004 aged 66, used his position with the SFA to gain the trust of boys and their families.
Despite Police probes into Stevenson when former victims raised the alarm in 1993 and again in 1996, the victims have never seen justice and Stevenson died without facing criminal sanction.


The victim added: “Stevenson had a high profile where we lived. I know a lot of the victims have come from football. I was a bit of a footballer myself and I remember I did go into Love Street with him one time but my abuse happened in the referee’s changing room.”

The Boys Brigade said child safeguarding procedures have become "more robust" since the 1960s.
A spokesperson told the Express: "Most people who volunteer in youth work are highly suitable to hold a position of trust and operate safely within their roles. However, as with other Youth organisations, we are aware of a very small number of adults that have sought out opportunities to harm children.

"Since the 1960’s when this abuse is alleged to have taken place, safeguarding and child protection processes have rightly become more robust in youth settings and in society as a whole."

She added: "Where safeguarding concerns and allegations arise, they are responded to promptly in line with our safeguarding procedures and reports are made to Statutory Agencies.

"We continue to work hard to ensure our leaders are safely recruited, trained, and developed to ensure The Boys’ Brigade remains a safe space for all. We also regularly review our policies, procedures, guidance, and our Leaders Code of Conduct."

A total of five victims of predator Hugh Stevenson have now emerged following a probe by the Express.

Victim Pete Haynes initially waived his right to anonymity in a bid to get justice for Stevenson's victims.
Despite a probe after social care worker Pete went to Police in 1993 and again in 1996, Stevenson was never brought to justice.

But now other victims including Stuart McMIllan of Foxbar, have now spoken of their ordeal.

A further three who have asked to remain anonymous have spoken to the Express, the latest to tell how he was abused by Stevenson as a young member of the 2nd Paisley Company, Boys Brigade in 1968.

But high-profile victim Pete, who was serially raped by Stevenson between the ages of 12 and 16 as a schoolboy footballer, has told how he fears his tormentor was part of a subversive paedophile ring operating in the town from as early as the 1970s.

He thinks Stevenson's "unfettered access" to boys and links to schools and youth outfits, means he had other connections and potentially has "more victims than Jimmy Savile".

Pete, now 56, became a victim after Stevenson won the trust of his parents and took him to a glittering Scottish Cup match at Hampden in 1979.

In the way home in the car the beast, who was always decked out in an SFA blazer, began a cycle of torment which lasted until shattered Pete stood up to his abuser as a 16-year-old.
The ordeal shattered Pete, who grew up just yards from the home of his attacker in Paisley's Greenock Road.
Stevenson, who is believed to have been on the Scottish Football Association’s books as an assistant referee between the 1960s and the 1980s, had links to a number of youth football teams, including Glasgow's Eastercraigs and Ferguslie United.


He died without ever facing a court for his crimes and victims including Pete, who now lives in Fife, and Paisley man Stuart McMillan launched a legal action against the SFA but the bid stalled on legal technicalities.
They fear a "cover up" as led to their bid to see justice defeated.


Sickened Pete also wrote to the Scottish Government demanding a platform for victims of abuse in football after a move to investigate their plight as part of the ongoing Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry was denied.
He has been deeply affected by failures to secure justice and said: "People like me, who suffered abuse in football at the hands of Hugh Stevenson, have never had the chance to stand up and tell their story and tell
people what happened to them."
He believes Stevenson may have remained active until his death.


We also told how 60-year-old Foxbar man Stuart McMillan was targeted by Stevenson who molested him as a 17-year-old after he signed up to train as a football referee.

Now the pair who admit they "don't trust" the authorities, are hopeful that the emergence of new victims will fuel their campaign for justice.
Police Scotland has vowed to examine any new evidence.


DCI Steven Bertram, of the force's National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “We understand how difficult it can be to report being the victim of child abuse.
"We would like to reassure anyone who has been a victim, or knows of someone who has been a victim, that if they wish to report we will listen, all reports will be fully investigate and we will take prompt action to ensure that no-one else is at risk of harm.”

Other victims have now revealed they suffered abuse at Stevenson's hands through links with Glasgow's Eastercraigs Boys' Club and Paisley's Boys Brigade.

He was also known to be linked to Ferguslie's Apex Centre.

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